The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-16
COMPLETION OF THE STOCKYARDS.
They Are Now the Most Extensive and Best
Arranged in the Country.

The original plan of the stockyards has beer
completed within week, and Indianapolis has
now the best arranged and most amply provided
as well as one Of the most extensive, stockyards
in the United States Previous the fall OF
1877, nearly ten years ago. i'm perfectly con.
structed and insufficient yard was maintained
for some years east of the city, the north side
of the Panhandle railroad and for a couple or
three years small but we'll arran ged yard,
called the Exchange" was established on the
south bank of the river at the Vincennes rail
way bridge, where stock Of various kinds was
slaughtered for market, as well as kept for sale
and shipment. This remained for a short time
after the opening of the Indianapolis Stock
yards" on the old Bayou Farm" adjacant to the
Belt railway. both of these latter the work of
the same company, and were held together till
the lease of the BELT" by the Union Railway
Company some half dozen years ago
Tho original design was to cover tho whole
area north of the bluff of the river to the bluff
but at first only range of four stables was
built by Shower & Christian in the summer and
fall of n, extending from east to west about
one thousand feet, and about $50 south; each
was about two hundred feet wide separated
from the next by space of fifty feet, with a
wide passage down the middle. and pens each
side. Some years later the east and west sheds
were Joined by additions Of equal extent, leav-
ing vacant the area for two others between.
These have now been filled by the first builders,
half with shed or stable of the original dimen-
sione and half with series of uncovered pens
for the mporary care of stock awaiting i'm
mediate shipment The whole area now con-
tained in the stock stables and pens is about
one thousand feet square, inclosing six hundred
pens, each amply provided with water and all
necessary appliances for the proper of the
stock. Mr.. Ernest, the superin ten6ent, says
that twenty thousand hogs can be easily and
fully handled and cared for every day. and a
proportionate amount of cattle, sheep and horses
well provided for. Besides the stock stables
proper, there extensive sale stables for
horses, and store houses for feed of all kinds
while water is supplied by steam power from a
huge well near the machine shops About
twenty five acres are under roof in this hog and
horse palace
notable feature Of the recently-completed
stable is the arrangement for separating such
portions of the stock the owner desires to re-
tain from those intended for shipment or
slaughter. This consists of large pens termin-
atng in narrow passages through which but
one "head" of stock can pass, closed by gate
which can be opened for one and shut for an
other, the latter being thus forced to 60 through
a return passage to it's former place. All the
"drive-ways" are arranged that the gates
opening into the pens beside them will complete
ly close them, leaving the stock alternative
but to go into the pen designed for it. Mr.
Ernest has devised and the builders constructed
a very novel convenience in the stable, in
the shape of an elevated or suspension" bridge
or walk about ten feet above the ground, and
traversing some three hundred feet of the stable
from north to south, and then turning and run
ming four hundred or five hundred feet out to
affords an inspector a better chance to see the
stock in full pen than walk along the drive
way could do, and keeps him out of the dust and
chance dirt on the ground walk.